Blood
by Lindsay-Lace
Summary: Daniel,Teal'c&Janet find something disturbing in Jack's house,and he and Carter are missing.Rated M for sensuality. Contains SamJack & DanielJanet
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story is disclaimed.

* * *

Saturday-Early Morning

"Hello" A part of Daniels subconscious noted how different her sleepy greeting was from the brisk 'Fraiser' she answered her phone with on base.

"Janet!" Daniel almost yelled into the phone. It had rang five times before she'd answered and he'd been growing more aggitated every second. "Janet you have to come down here." Daniel closed his tired eyes and the sight in the bedroom returned to him, his stomach turned and he felt like he was going to be sick.

"Where's 'here' Daniel?" Janet asked calmly, steadily, as she detected the panic in his voice. "Where are you Daniel?"

"Jack's place" Daniel told her. "Janet something bad happened here. He's not here, I don't know where he is, I should probably have called General Hammond first but when I saw the blood...I, I called you first"

"I'll be right there." Janet promised.

"Thanks" Daniel said, and hung up.

* * *

Daniel heard Janet drive in and went to meet her. 

"Are you all right?" were the first words out of her mouth as she got out of the car.

"I'm fine" Daniel assured her.

"What happened here?" she asked as they fast-walked toward the house.

"Teal'c and I came by this morning to talk to Jack. He wasn't home but the door was unlocked, which kind of worried us so we went inside. The place looked normal but when we got to his room..." They walked inside and straight to Jack's room.

"I didn't know what to do so I called you." Daniel stopped talking as Janet stopped in Jack's doorway.

"Ohmygod" Janet said quickly. The bed was covered with blood, the sheets, the blankets. Janet looked at Daniel who had paled again. "Daniel why don't you wait with Teal'c while I check this out." She suggested.

Daniel nodded. "Okay" he felt like he should say something, but just slowly backed to the living room to join Teal'c.

* * *

"All right guys" Janet came out out of the room removing her latex gloves and looking considerably less worried. "It looks like we can rule out murder" 

"What?" Daniel looked up.

"The blood isn't Jack's. It's...feminine." They looked at her blankly and Janet considered the fact that she was a doctor and both of the men present were 'of age'. "It's menstrual" she put it plainly.

"Oh" Daniel's eyebrows went up and he blinked with surprise while Teal'c raised one eyebrow.

"Granted, it's a lot of blood, but strenuous activity can make bleeding heavier, and from some of the other fluids I found...well, you know what I mean."

"So, you don't think there's anything...wrong here?"

"Well, this isn't on my list of Top Ten things I've always expected to find in Colonel O'Neill's house. But if it were anyone else I'd say he drank a little too much, got lucky and we should just get out of here and pretend we never saw anything."

"But since it's Jack?" Daniel asked.

"My theory on what happened is the same, but I'm not going to tell you not to look for him, or his...guest." Janet held a plastic bag in her hand. "I'm going to the base to run some tests. If you find them and need a doctor call me." She started toward the door. "And if he slept withe the wrong person and doesn't remember anything call me, _then _the lawyer." Janet started to leave then hesitated."In fact, if _anything _happens, call me"

"Okay" Daniel promised.

"Good luck" Janet offered and left.

Daniel turned to Teal'c "So where do we start?"

* * *

"Hello?" 

"Hi Daniel" Janet had just gotten back to her lab. "I was wondering if you'd called Sam yet"

"No, why?"

"I called her place and she didn't answer. I thought she might be on her way there."

"No, at first I just wanted to know what you'd say and then, well, Sam gets embarrassed"

Janet grimaced at the idea of telling Sam what had gone on at Jack's last night. "I see your point" It had been wierd enough with her, Daniel and Teal'c knowing. And it was even worse with Sam. No one wanted to think about why it was worse, it just was.

"So was there anything else?"

"No, thanks Daniel"

"Have _you _found out anything?"

"I was just about to start"

"Well, call me if you need anything"

"Thanks, you too."

Daniel hung up and Janet returned to her tests.

* * *

"Are you concerned about O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't know what to think Teal'c."

"Whomever O'Neill was with has lost much blood." Teal'c said calmly.

"I know"

"On Chulak it is customary to refrain." Teal'c didn't have to say from what.

"On Abydos too."

"And on earth?"

"It depends on the couple."

"I see"

"Teal'c, about this conversation..."

"I will discuss the topic no further" Teal'c said firmly.

"Thank you"

* * *

"Dammit" Janet swore and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She asked herself why the hell she'd had to run the test in the first place. Why did she have to be so curious? No, curious was probably wrong, she'd needed to know, needed to prove her suspicions were wrong. Needed to eliminate the possibility no one else had even let themselves consider. "Damn" She swore again rubbing her forehead. She'd known there was a possibility, if she hadn't thought there was a chance, she wouldn't have checked. So why had she checked? Why had she put herself in the position to prove Sam was screwing her boss? It was a pretty crass way of putting it, and Janet knew Sam would have been hurt, but right now she wasn't feeling very sympathetic. 

It wasn't completely thier fault, they hadn't expected Daniel and Teal'c to walk onto thier own private murder scene. They hadn't expected them to call Janet in, and they hadn't expected Janet to test the blood against Sam's. But they _had _known they were shattering regulations, they were risking more than thier own careers. They had known the possible consequences of thier actions... Janet rested her elbows on the desk and her head on her hands.

There wasn't a lot of doctor/patient confidentiality in the military. She was obligated to tell General Hammond, and covering for her friend was not an option. Not _technically _an option. Janet buried the papers in her drawer. She needed Daniel and Teal'c to find them. She needed them to make up a story and clean up the mess so she could pretend she didn't know anything.

If they didn't turn up the general would want to know what she'd found. And she really didn't want to tell him. They wouldn't get any sympathy from a court-martial. Maybe if it had happened on another planet where they'd been stranded for months on end, or on earth while under the influence of an alien organism. But not here on earth, in his room, with blood everywhere...

Janet picked up the phone to call Daniel. She had to know if they were any closer to finding them. She couldn't bear thinking about what might happen if they didn't.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Friday-Evening

"Hi" Sam said when he finally opened the door.

"Carter"

Jack's voice conveyed nothing as he looked her over calmly. Sam watched his eyes, blank, unmoving, indifferent, and yet she knew he was looking her over and sizing her up. Not studying her and deducing, so much as just looking at her and knowing everything he needed to know. It was one of his particular talents, and Sam was never quite sure whether she admired that or hated it. Mainly it depended on whether he was doing it to her or someone else.Though to be perfectly honest, she used to like it when he did it to her, as long as she didn't have something to hide, something she didn't want him to see...

"What can I do for you?" he asked coolly.

"I just, I was on my way home and I realized I didn't want to get there so I..." Sam gave him a watery smile. "I stopped here."

Jack backed from the doorway and tilted his head in the general direction of the living room. "Come on in"

"Thanks" Sam bit her lip and walked in.

"Want a beer?" Jack offered. Her discomfort softening him.

"Sure" Sam waited by the door, then changed her mind and followed him to the kitchen.

Jack opened two beers. "Glass?" he offered. "I have some clean..."

"That's okay" Sam took the cold bottle gratefully. "It's hot as hell in here."

"Air conditioning broke." Jack said with a grimace.

"Bummer" Sam felt the sweat starting to bead up on her forehead and cursed the heat. Although she had to admit, it was making her drinking partner's t-shirt cling rather nicely to his abs. She returned her attention to herbeer and raised it towards him until Jack caught on and clinked his bottle against hers. "To the Goa'uld," Sam toasted glibbly "who give all of us something to do."

Jack raised his eyebrows, but didn't call her on it. "To the Goa'uld" He took a swig of his beer, then watched as she took a series of unusually long swallows, stopping only when she pressed her hand against her forehead.

"Cold" she explained.

Jack bit back a sarcastic 'That's the idea' and opted for something that might actually get them somewhere. "So," he leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms over his chest, still holding his beer. "You going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"Pete and I had an argument." Sam looked up at the ceiling."He said I'm 'not committing to our relationship'."

"Well, considering every time I've heard you mention him to someone you say it's not serious I can see how he could get that idea..."

"Well, things have been getting serious"

"I see" Jack was detached.

"He asked me to marry him," Sam's hands played over her condensating bottle. "I told him I'd think about it...two weeks ago" Sam added wryly.

"And he doesn't appreciate your timing?"

"I don't know why I'm telling you this" Sam suddenly felt like an idiot.

"You were on your way home and you stopped." Jack followed his simplification with a long draw on his beer. And Sam almost smiled at the way he had of making things easy. When he wanted to.

"He's at my place." Sam told him finally. "We're supposed to have a talk."

"And your bailing out?" Jack looked vaugely amused. "I thought only guys were supposed to do that?"

"Yeah well, I guess we have the cliche role reversal._ I'm_ avoiding 'the talk',_I'm _commitment shy, _I_ want to keep things status quo..."

"So all you need is the old 'Only interested in his body' line and you'll be set."

Sam almost winced as that one hit a little close to home. "I think he was saving that one for tonight."

"Along with 'You don't respect me' ?" Jack continued adding up the cliche's.

Sam sipped her beer. "Maybe I respect him too much" She said darkly.

Jack looked at her closely. "What does that mean?"

Sam sighed. "I don't know." Then she looked straight at him for the first time that night. "I think I'm going to screw this up."

Jack knew that feeling. "Do you want to?"

Sam realized that was one question she'd never asked herself. She'd asked if she loved Pete, if she wanted to be with him, if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. But the answers to those question seemed to change with her mood, while Jack's question seemed simpler, easier to answer. It was probably just an illusion, or the result of her most recent mood, but she thought it helped anyway.

"I think I do" Sam's eyes conveyed pure honesty.

"Why?" Jack told himself he was just trying to help her. That he was asking her these questions because she obviously wasn't very good with relationships and she needed his -if not quite expert- at leastrelatively objective point of view. He wasn't about to admit that he was actually curious about why Carter's relationship was failing.

"I don't know" Sam sighed again and brushed her hair back from her face. All this personal talk was making her nervous, antsy, she wanted to go home and forget both Jack _and_ Pete. Except Pete _was_ home; which left her with Jack. "I guess I'm just tired of waiting for it to end. I'd rather...put it out of it's misery..."

Jack blinked. "Well I guess that says it all doesn't it?"

Sam met his eyes. "Does it?"

"Last I heard your 'gloom and doom' outlook wasn't considered a sign of a healthy relationship"

"I think I just have a natural talent for screwing things up." Samsaid darkly."I mean, I can meet a really _great_ guy, and as soon as I start seeing him, he becomes this anoying, irritating..."

"Maybe they're not really great to start with."

"I think I just drive them crazy" Sam considered the average mental stability of the men in her life.

"That's possible" Jack knew this from personal expierience.

Sam shot him a look that said 'thanks a lot'

"Hey, I'm just saying that two 'great' people aren't necessarily great together." Sam looked like his words were hitting home so he continued. "It's like one of your math problems. Two and two makes four is easy. But two and two makes one is...almost impossible."

Sam swallowed. That was just about the most romantic thing he'd ever said. Next to 'C'mere' maybe, and..., and why'd she have to think of that?

"Sir" Sam used the word like a shield,trying to shut out the name circling through her mind. 'Jack' 'Jack' _'JACK' _She felt the sweat dampening her back and was currently finding it very hard to ignore the broadening sweat stains on Jack's torso. She'd never seen him sweaty like when they weren't at work. Fighting goa'uld, walking deserts, working out in the gym... But never at home, in his kitchen, looking earthy and accessable and oh so inviting. Sam closed her eyes and tried to shut it out. She'd picked a hell of a time to be on an estrogen high. Or maybe she'd just picked a bad time to visit. If she'd been home she could have taken these feelings out on her boyfriend. But who was she kidding? If she was home with Mr. Let's-talk-about-our-future she wouldn't be having these feelings.

Jackknew it was just the heat. The crazy, sexy heat that could drive people lunatic -and yes he _did _know the origin of the word- in broad daylight. It was simply the fact that Carter was drinking beer in his kitchen, and the world wasn't ending, and neither of them were dying, and she was talking about dumping her boyfriend...Come to think of it those things would normally make them more restrained. It had to be the heat.

It had to be the heat. She thought, the air in the room was thick, humid and hard to breathe. She could smell him from where she stood and it irritated her that he didn't smell bad. He smelled like sweat, but it was a testosterone laced sweat that her body was reacting to in ways she rather not think about. And she suddenly knew she had to get out of there. Fast.


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday-Mid-Morning

Daniel answered the phone. "Hello"

"Hi, Daniel it's me. Have you found anything?"

"Janet we've checked his answering machine messages, I've gone through his mail, we've even talked to the neighbors. I think it's time to tell Hammond."

"Daniel..." Janet said hesitantly.

"I know, I didn't want to do it either. I mean, I don't want to embarrass everybody when it's probably just what you said, a few too many beers... But it's not like Jack to just dissapear."

"Daniel"

"What?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Okay..."

"Not over the phone.I need you to come in, or I can meet you somewhere, but I've got to talk to you."

"Are you all right?" Daniel was clearly concerned.

"I don't know" Janet sighed tiredly. "Just come down okay?"

"I'll be right there."

* * *

"Are you okay?" Janet asked Daniel as he digested what she had just told him. 

"I don't know" Daniel shook his head. "I just, I don't know whether to be worried or furious with them"

"I know" Janet commiserated, rubbing her neck with one hand. "It reminds me of when I was married. You know, the worst part of waiting up till three in the morning for your husband to come home is being afraid to be angry with him because you know if he turned up dead you'd feel guilty for being mad." Janet saw Daniel looking at her strangely and realized that in seven years she'd never mentioned her ex-husband to him. "I'm sorry" she apologized. "I shouldn't bore you with ancient history."

"That's what I'm here for" Daniel said sincerely, then grimaced as he realized the bad pun.

Janet smiled. "You're a good kid Daniel" she knew it sounded condescending, but at the moment it just seemed like the appropriate thing to say.

"Guess the haircut didn't do much good" Daniel muttered to himself.

"What?" Janet asked, looking amused.

"Nothing" Daniel told her. "I was just wondering when I became everyone's kid brother around here." Daniel leaned back in his chair and yawned.

"It's because you're such a good listener." Janet said comfortingly.

Yeah,Daniel thought,such a good listener his two friends had screwed each other and split without telling him. Making him down large, strong amounts of disgusting conveiniance store coffee looking for them while they were probably just in a motel somewhere. An idea which made his rightfully angry, and yet, irrationally...

"You know Janet," Daniel stood up and paced the room."to be perfectly honest I think I can almost understand why Jack and Sam could end up doing something like this. I mean," Daniel stopped pacing and looked at her."don't you ever get the urge to just...I don't know, fuck someone"

Janet's eyes widened, she almost never heard Daniel swear. And definately not the 'F' word, she had the strangest urge to scold him like Cassie. "You know Daniel, swearing is not the way to prove your grown up"

Daniel raised his eyebrows before he realized she was joking and he almost smiled. Almost. "I was trying not to be sentimental about it."

"You're not very good at it" Janet told him honestly.

"I know" Daniel looked at her. "But this," He looked at the pictures. "It doesn't seem very..." Daniel didn't know how to put it, and he was starting to doubt he wanted to finish that thought in the first place.

"Daniel you can't just look at all this blood and say it was savage. I know that's probably the first impression most people would have. I suppose I'm used to blood, maybe too used to it. But my point is you look at this and you see something violent, I look, and all I see is the normal result of a physical action, I think, I think maybe we're both forgetting something."

"What's that?" Daniel asked her.

"The fact the blood is one of the most deeply personal things two people can share. All medical rationalities aside, what do people say, 'blood is thicker than water' 'you're in my blood'..."

"Janet" Daniel swallowed hard.

"Yes?" Janet's forehead creased at the disturbed look on his face.

"Can we change the subject?"

"I think that's a good idea" Janet managed as her breath caught when she realized why this conversation was bothering him. They were talking about two friends bloodying the sheets and it was turning him on. Okay, so it was pretty safe to say _that _wasn't the part that was turning him on, but something was. And it was making an already difficult situation almost impossible to deal with.

Which was probably the reason Daniel kissed her.

"Daniel" Janet pulled back.

"What?" Daniel's eyes begged her for a reason, just one good reason why this couldn't happen.

"Daniel I'm too old for you" Janet argued.

"You know Janet" Daniel took in her girlish embarassment."Sometimes I think _I'm_ older than _you _are."

"Daniel I'm your doctor. You of all people should appreciate the moral situation that puts me in"

Daniel rubbed his hands over his face. "Janet I'm just, not as good at that as I used to be. I go out there" He gestured in the general direction of the Gateroom. "and I see these things, terrible, violent, bloody things and I realize that they don't even shock me anymore. Appall, infuriate, but not _surprise_. I've changed so much from who I used to be. I've grown up in so many ways. And I'm finding it harder to live only for my work. And now I look at things here and say 'is that so bad?' People are out there livingwith forced slavery and torture and the world grinds to a halt because two people spilled a little in the bedroom? Because the more I learn about the importance of freedom, the importance of balancing power, the main thing is not doing anything that will hurt other people. And who is this hurting? Who would _we_ be hurting?"

"Daniel I'm just not ready for that."

Daniel looked down. "I'm sorry," he exhaled slowly."I didn't mean..."

"Daniel, it would be more than 'fucking'." She said the word quietly, softly, in an innocent way that kept it from sounding dirty. "You know that."

"Yeah" Daniel returned his eyes to her face. "I know that"

"Then you have to let me think"

"All right" Daniel nodded.

"I'll let you know" But as Janet promised him, she had the distinct feeling that by agreeing to 'think about it' she had crossed a line she had never intended to cross. And actually _doing _it was only one step away.


	4. Chapter 4

Friday-Late Evening

"Jaaaaaaack" Sam gasped as they collided with the open bedroom door.

"What?" he asked, unbuttoning her jeans with one hand while working the other past her waistband.

"I've got my period"

Jack paused in his overtures. "Sorry" he raked the unbuttoning hand through his hair in frustration."If this is a bad time..." he said breathing hard.

"Well I thought maybe you wouldn't..." Sam's eyes almost pleaded for him not to care as her hands held onto his naked back under his shirt.

"Idon't care if you don't" Jack's hands grasped her back at her shoulder blades and pulled her body to him.

She moaned as he pressed his lips against her collarbone. "There's gonna be a lot of blood." she warned him breathlessly

"I've had your blood on me before." he drew her with him toward the bed, and, pulling the blanket off with one hand, he threw it to the floor and lowered her onto the white sheets.He buried his tongue in her mouth, enjoying the ribbed smoothness of her roof, the textured slickness of her tongue.Sam sank lower into the bed until it wouldn't give anymore as Jack held his body over her, bracing an arm on either side of her shoulders. When he released her lips Sam pulled his t-shirt up while he explored her neck with his mouth. The shirt caught at his arms, thwarting her efforts.

"_Jack_" Sam pleaded breathlessly, needing to bare him to her, needing to see and feel the man who was taking her body, mind, and driving her insane. Sam could see a rebellious glimmer in his eye as he pulled his lips from her neck and closed his mouth on her right breast. Sam gasped, and contracted, her body moved downward, searching for room beneath her and finding only the firm mattress.She pulled again on his shirt -more urgently this time- and Jack obeyed. Refusing to neglect her for any longer than absolutely necessary he worked her over with his tongue while slowly slid his knees onto the bed. She tried to stay still but her hips jerked toward him as his mouth tormented her. He straddled her,kneeling on the bed and, only when he was ready did he pull his mouth off her andlift his arms so she could pull his shirt over his head.Sam inhaled sharply as he pulled back out of his shirt and she felt some of his weight settle on her.

Jackleaned backon his knees while he reached behind his back and pulled her shoes off. Then he grasped her jeans by the legs and pulled them off. Sam's breathing came harder as he caressed her thigh near her panties, closing her eyes as he slowly removed them, leaving her lower body exposed.

Itfelt strange, yet shockingly liberating,lying open on the bed, with nothing to stop the blood. Ever since she was a teenager 'that time of the month' had been about containment. Preventing leaks, preventing stains, not wanting the embarrassment or hassle of blood on her clothes and sheets. But tonight posed absolutely no threat to her clothes, and the sheets, the sheets were toast."You'll get blood on your pants" Sam whispered. But now it wasn't so much his jeans she was concerned about as her desire to have them off him. Jack moved back from her and stood, shedding the rest of his clothes while Sam stayed stretched out on her back and pulled her shirt off, reaching underneath her back to unhook her bra and slip it off her arms, tossing them both off the bed and out of danger.

Jack returned to kneeling,this time between her legs."You'll have to burn these sheets." Sam breathed hotly into his shoulder, while searching out his back, which was already slippery with a fine sheen of sweat.

Jack moved on her"I don't know," he felt her muscles tighten in anticipation as he trailed wet lips and tongue down her ribs and onto her stomach."we might need them again." He could taste her salty sweat. The room was insanely hot, despite the open window, but now the heat wasn't unbearable or opressive. It was liberating.A fitting accompanyment to their passions, and they gave themselves over to it, and let it come.


	5. Chapter 5

Saturday-Late Morning

Daniel sat on the edge of Janet's desk, while Janet stood with her back to the wall looking for all the world like a worried mother. "What if they're not in trouble" Janet suggested. "Where would they go?"

"I called the police up by Jack's cabin" Daniel told her. "They didn't find anything."

"What about Sam's family" Janet suggested.

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"I know it'd be wierd" Janet cringed at the thought. "But we should probably check everything."

"Let's see if we can come up with a convincing story first." Daniel suggested."We don't want to worry them."

"What about credit cards?" Janet knew it was cliched, and Sam and Jack would know better than to use them if they were seriously hiding out, but if they'd just gone off somewhere they might not care...

"Teal'c's working on it. I think it'd be easier if we were working _with_ the police, but I don't want to involve Pete."

"Maybe we should" Janet said seriously.

"What?" Daniel was incredulous.

"If there really is something wrong, we need to find them. He might know something we don't."

"And you want to ask him to help us find his fiancee who ran off with another man?" Daniel grimaced.

Janet looked at him annoyed. "I _thought_ we'd tell him it was Air Force buisiness."

Daniel considered. "We might get more out of him if we do tell him the truth though. I don't see what harm it could do now. I mean, Sam didn't exactly run off with Jack because she intends to marry Pete"

Janet shook her head. "Daniel, for all we know they went somewhere to say goodbye. We can't jump to conclusions. And we definately can't tell anyone what we know."

"So, we have a few options left"

"And if that doesn't work, what are we going to do then?" Janet wondered aloud

Daniel looked at her and sighed. "I have no idea"


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: sigh Well, the time has come, I have to admit, there were so many possibilities as to what happened to Sam and Jack -and I was so enjoying wondering where they were- that I was reluctant to decide on anything. I guess I've read too many stories that are great all though the mystery and dissolve into boring when you start to learn what happend. Well it can't be helped, it's time to continue with Sam and Jack. But don't worry, I'm not revealing everything at once...

* * *

Friday-Night

They lay together in the dark room, sleeping soundly in each others arms. the blood and sweat had dried around them quickly in the heat and they'd slept as they were, only covering themselves with the top sheet when the night had finally cooled a little. Her head lay on his shoulder as he cradled her form against his body, his face in her hair, her arm around his torso holding him close. The room was silent but for the sound of thier breathing, and a faint chirping of crickets outside the window.

Sam jerked up with a start when she heard the bedroom door slam against the wall. Her heart slammed against her chest as she sat speachless in the dark looking at the figure in the doorway.

In the same moment Jack felt Sam rip from his arms and sat up, simulataneously opening his eyes and reaching for her to make sure she was still there.

Sam feltJack's hand on her waist and started breathing again. "Pete" she whispered, her eyes settling on the gun in his hands. She knew Jack was thinking about his own gun and felt an urgent need to defuse the situation. "Pete" she acted on instinct, unable to believe this was happening. "Drop the gun."

Jack felt like he was in the middle of a badly written soap opera. The jealous lover catches them in the act? What idiot wrote that in? Pete had no way of knowing she was there, no reason to think she might be there. And even if he had, what in the name of heaven or earth could possess him to come charging in in the middle of the night with a gun? Jack heard Sam's voice, soft, almost patronizing and wondered if the man would go for it. Right now he was standing in the doorway gun at ready, looking like he'd been sucker punched. And Jack tensed, ready to do whatever he had to do if Sam failed.

"Pete, put the gun down." Sam pleaded now, hoping to appeal to his emotions as logic was clearly not working right now. "Please" she pleaded, willing him to lower the barrel of the gun from it's bead on her. Slowly she saw the sights lowering as the barrel descended.

"Here" Pete said hoarsely, "Take it" he tossed the gun onto the bed at her feet and turned to leave, pausing in the doorway. "I didn't come here to hurt you Sam." His back remained to her ashe spoke. "I came to warn you." the irony was clear in his voice. "He called to say you were in danger and I" he said bitterly"I thought you might need me."

Jack waited for Sam to ask the question, but she just sat there staring at Pete's back, eyes wide and looking guilty. "Who called?" Jack asked finally.

When Pete didn't answer Samrepeated the question. "Who said I was in danger?"

"He justsaid his name was Barrett and they were coming for you." Pete answered, wanting nothing more than to leave and never come back. But he answered her questions, because he was a cop, because it was what he was supposed to do, and because as much as he hated her just then, he didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Who's 'they'?" Sam asked, wanting to shut up and let him leave, but needing one more question answered.

"He didn't say. He said they knew where you were and they were coming. He wouldn't tell me any more. Apparently I'm not on your 'trusted friends' list." He said cuttingly.

"Thank you Pete." Sam said, quietly telling him he could go now.

Pete hesitated a fraction of a second as if he was considering speaking, and walked out.

"Oh god" Sam moaned and fell back on the bed.

"We have to get out of here." Jack got up and pulled his jeans on.

"Jackthat message could mean anything. Agent Barrett saying they know where I am, it probably means they know we're together and they're coming after us to ruin us."

"I'm not taking that chance" Jack pulled his shirt on. "Come on" he urged her. "I know you're tired but you can sleep on the way."

"On the way where?" Sam asked, getting dressed.

"I'm thinking." Jack answered, picking up the gun off the foot of the bed.

"That's Pete's gun." Sam told him.

"Exactly, we might need it." Jack tucked it into the back of his jeans.

"_Jack_" Sam objected, knowing exactly what he was thinking. The weapon was registered in Pete's name, so if they had to use it on anyone...

"Sam he's a cop." Jack told her. "He can always report it stolen, all that matters right nowis it's not one of ours."

"Okay" Sam agreed.

Jack grabbed his own gun and his wallet. "Let's get out of here."


	7. Chapter 7

Saturday-Mid-Day

"I can't believe we didn't think of this before." Janet said as she and Daniel searched Sam's house.

"Well considering the fact that we've been here..." Daniel looked at his watch. "...for half an hour and found absolutely nothing I'd say we shouldn't kick ourselves too hard."

"Have you checked the answering machine?" Janet asked. They'd started in the kitchen, gone over the house lightly, circled back, and were currently going over it a second time more thoroughly.

"I thought you did it?" Daniel sifted through Sam's mail.

Janet pressed the 'Play All' button.

'Hi Sam it's Daniel, I don't know if you've left for work yet...um...well...you probably have... knowing my luck... but I was just think...'

Janet smiled at looked at Daniel who seemed to be trying very hard not to look embarassed. It wasn't working.

'Hi Sam, me again." Daniel talked much faster this time.'I think you're machine cut me off. What I was saying was that I need those papers I gave you okay? Thanks.'

'Sam it's Pete. Just calling to remind you to be home tonight. We really need to have that talk okay? Love you.'

Daniel and Janet exchanged looks.

'Mr.Shanahan, pick up the phone please. Ineed to speak to you about Major Car...'

The message ended abruptly.

Janet looked at Daniel. "Somebody called Pete here...what?" She asked, seeing the look on Daniel's face.

"That was Agent Barrett's voice." Daniel said perplexed.

Janet's eyes widened. "As in Sam's NID informant Agent Barrett?"

"We have to talk to Pete." Daniel said.

"I'm ready" Janet volunteered.

Daniel's cell rang. "Hello"

"Daniel Jackson"

"Teal'c"

"They have not used thier credit cards"

Daniel started to speak but Teal'c continued.

"However we have located Colonel O'Neill's truck."

Daniel caught Janet's eye and she stood silently, hoping for some hint as to what was happening.

"Where?" Daniel asked looking at Janet.

"It was discovered outside a grocery store. I believe it was most likely abandoned sometime last night. I intend to keep looking."

"Good." Daniel said. "Janet and I are going to look into something we found."

"Have you discovered something?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah, apparently Agent Barrett called Sam's house last night."

"If Agent Barrett has not contacted the SGC it may be unwise to seek him out. He may be under surveilence."

"That's a good point Teal'c, I hadn't thought of that. But we're actually going to find Pete. Sam wasn't home last night and we think he picked up the phone."

"But what would Agent Barrett tell Pete Shanahan?" Teal'c asked. "It is unlikely he would reveal anything to someone who is not SGC."

"I know." Daniel agreed. "But he told him something."

"Then I will permit you to return to your search."

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know." Daniel hung up and finally answered Janet's questioning stare. "They found Jack's truck."

"Where?"

"'Grocery store parking lot. Teal'c's following it up." Daniel pocketed his cell phone and fished out his car keys. "He thinks they left it last night."

"Daniel?" Janet looked troubled.

"What?"

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing? If they don't want to be found..."

"Janet, they dissapeared in the middle of the night with no warning. We can't just trust thier judgement and hope their okay. We have to find out what happened."

Janet nodded. "You're right."

Daniel gestured toward the door. "After you."


	8. Chapter 8

Saturday-(Very)Early Morning

"What are we doing here?" Sam asked as Jack pulled into the grocery store parking lot.

Jack glanced at his watch. "Meeting someone in about two minutes."

"You had an apointment?" Sam asked in confusion. He hadn't exactly been acting like a man with plans earlier...

"Not exactly." Jack had his eyes fastened to the side mirror of his truck. "C'mon." he said suddenly, taking the keys out of the ignition, and waiting for Sam to open her door before he locked the truck, pocketed his keys and joined her. He walked briskly along the edge of the parking lot, instinctively staying as far away from the lights as he could. It was late and the parking lot was almost empty but the store was open twenty-four hours and there were still a few late shopper out and about. Sam kept her head down and stayed close to Jack. "Steve" Jack stopped at the cart corral nearest the store and addressed the young man gathering the carts.

"Jack" The kid looked up. "How's it going?"

"I need your car." Jack cut to the point.

To Sam's surprise Steve reached into his pocket without asking any questions. "And the pickup?" Steve held out his other hand.

"Not this time." Jack told him.

"But I've got a date." Steve complained.

"I'm sorry." Jack apologized. "I'd just hate for you to get killed because someone thought you were me."

"Shit Jack you are in trouble." Steve realized.

"Yup" Jack held out his hand and Steve gave him the keys. "Thanks. Now, money?" Jack asked.

Steve glanced back at the store. "Now that's one thing I can't do"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Not from the store, your wallet."

Sam could tell from poor Steve's confusion that though he'd apparently traded vehicles with Jack forwhatever reasons in the past, Jack had never asked for money before.

Steve hesitated.

"We'll pay you back" Sam promised.

Steve handed Jack his wallet, from which Jack removed all his cash and the only credit card.

"That's got a really low limit." Steve warned, half hoping Jack would leave it behind.

"It'll do" Jack assured him. And when Steve looked even more depressed he added. "Seriously, I'll get you back. And if I don't come back justcall that number I gave you for emergency's and give him the story I told you okay?"

"All right" Steve agreed. "But I'd better not find out this was all about some chick okay?" He looked at Sam apologetically.

Sam smiled. "Has it ever been before?"

"Not that I know of." Steve told her. "But with Jack you never know."

"We gotta go." Jack grasped Sam's arm. "I owe ya one Steve" Jack said as he headed for the car.

"Just remember that." Steve called back.


	9. Chapter 9

Saturday-Afternoon

Teal'c surveyed the parking lot intensely. He was well trained in tracking but as long as he'd sheltered on this world he'd spent comparatively little time on its surface. He could of course employ several of the techniques he'd studied for observation, but tracking was an entirely new matter on this world. Fortunately, he'd learned much in a short time about the way things were done on earth, which was why the manager of the grocery store was standing behind him and slightly to the right just waiting to answer any questions or be of any service. Flashing his Air Force ID had definitely been the correct approach. Teal'c honed in on a small box at the front of the building.

"We are being surveiled."

"That's the security system." The manager told him.

Teal'c turned his attention to the little man. "You did not previously mention this."

"Sorry" the man apologized. "It's just that we don't usually show our security footage to people. "Of course, we can make an exception." he added quickly.

Teal'c placed his hands behind his back. "Indeed"

* * *

Teal'c sat in the security room staring intently at the screen. The store didn't have cameras on the light poles, only on the building itself, which meant they had a fairly good distance range but a limited view along the sides of the building. Teal'c blinked from focusing so intlently and almost missed the truck pulling into the parking lot. He rewound it for about one second and pushed 'play' it was impossible to deistinguish the exact color of the truck on the video but there was no doubt it was O'Neill's pickup. 

Not only because it was a dark colored pickup in the parking lot in the middle of the night, not only because it parked in the same parking spot they'd found the truck in -as far as possible from the light posts- but also because he'd parked in just the right place and at such an angle that the cab was out of camera range and he couldn't see them get out of the vehicle. Teal'c didn't even blink as he watched the tape far longer than necessary. When the time on the film read eight o'clock in the morning he stopped the tape and turned off the monitor.

He considered the possiblities of where his friends could have gone and for the first time had serious doubts they could be found. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were two of the most intelligent people he knew. And the very fact that thier minds worked in different ways made them far more formidable and difficult to anticipate.

For the first time Teal'c felt like he was hunting his own people. He had been thinking of it as a search and rescue. He was looking for them to protect them and the SGC. Now he was unsure whether this was the best course, but the course was decided and he had no choice but to continue. Daniel Jackson and Janet Fraiser were exploring one direction, and as much as Teal'c trusted both of them with his life he realized hewas unsure of thier ability to best handle this situation. He walked down the stairs from the security with a renewed determination that if O'Neill and Carter had to be found he was going to be the one to discover them.


	10. Chapter 10

Saturday-Early Morning(Pre-Dawn)

Jack's eyes breifly left the road to rest on the sleeping form beside him. She'd fallen asleep shortly after he'd gotten onto the highway and away from the lights of the city. She'd shifted several times in half-sleep trying to find a tolerable position and finally curled up sideways facing him, with her knees on the seat and her feet over the edge. Her elbow was resting on one of her knees and her chin was propped in one hand. It really didn't look that comfortable but he supposed after a night like last night she could have slept about anywhere. The car was warm and there were still at least three hours of dark left. As for Jack he was physically tired but had enough adrenaline in his system to keep him alert. The whole night had been insane, the soap opera comparison came back to him again. He'd had bizzarre expieriences before but this had to take the cake.

Jack kept glancing in the rear-view mirror despite the fact that the highway was almost empty at this time of the morning. He wished he at least had some idea _who _was after them, who he was supposed to be keeping a watch for. Then he'd know what to expect, and whether or not he and Carter could take 'em. He shifted in his seat feeling the comforting pressure of the handgun against his spine. He looked back to woman asleep beside him, a shock of messy blond hair hanging in her eyes. This wasn't exactly how he'd envisioned thier first night together. He'd chosen to head west on instinct, or whim depending on your choice of termonology. It really didn't matter what you called it. He'd chosen west because everything in him told him to go north. North had always been his safe place. The trees, the woods, the cold, home. But he couldn't go home now. Although if someone had asked him then where in hell he was going he wouldn't have had an answer. Safe. It wasn't a place, it wasn't a situation, it was a feeling but even then nothing more than an illusion.

All he had was what he had with him. A broken down car he'd borrowed from a teenager, a gun he'd stolen from a cop, a credit card with afive-hundred dollar limit and fifty bucks in cash. Once it was daylight he'd find a motel and get some sleep. They could probably get pretty far with Sam spelling him on the driving but he wasn't in a real hurry yet for the simple reason he didn't know where he was going. He had three hours of darkness left, maybe in three hours he could come up with a plan.

* * *

"Carter" Jack touched her shoulder gently. Yeah, sure, they'd spent the night together. Okay, they's _slept_ together with all the implications, insinuations, inuendo's and cliche's of that statement included. But he still called her 'Carter' in his head. And after that many year it wasn't an easy habit to break. "Sam"

"Hmm" Sam opened her eyes slowly. "Where are we?" She sat up straight and looked around at the lightening landscape.

"Motel" Jack announced. It's not much it's cheap. In fact, I'm thinking about joining the Fleabag of the Month Club."

"What?" Sam asked, amused.

"Figure of speach. I should have a discount for as many times as I've stayed in these dumps."

"Really?" Sam raised her eyebrows. "Anything I should know about?"

"Long story." Jack told her. "Long, top secret, work related, you-don't-want-to-know kind of story."

"Okay" Sam yawned and dragged herself out of the car. "I guess I'll just have to trust you then."

Jack locked the car. "I left you sleep while I checked in" He unlocked room #75 and ushered her inside. "Want to know where we are?"

"Maybe tomorrow" Sam went straight to the bathroom, did her thing, undressed to her T-shirt and went straight to bed. Jack followed suit.

"Are you okay?" He asked as she curled up into a ball with the blankets up to the top of her head, despite the fact that the air-conditioned room wasn't even cold.

"Tired" Sam said wearily. "Really, really tired." It was an unusual admission from Sam, but it had been a day of confessions. So much had happened in such a short time she couldn't grasp it all. She needed to sleep. Prefferably for a very long time.

"Me too" Jack said.

Without opening her eyes Sam moved closer to his body heat and Jack wrapped his arms around her. "Night" Jack kissed her on the forehead.

Sam moaned quietly in response before falling immediately asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

I've come to a decision. I began this story in 'the present' and then decided to do a "flashback" to Sam and Jack. The flashbacks became a regular thing and I thought I did a fairly good job of keeping them from being confusing but as this story continues into the eleventh chapter I've decided to put a heading at the beginning of each giving an approxomite time of day. I won't give dates and exact times because I perfer to keep it vague, fitting the imagination and mystery of the story. But I will give day of the week and general time of day or night as the chapters weaving in and out from present to past may become a bit confusing. I'm doing this for my past chapters to so you'll be able to form an overall timeline. Thank you for reading. _Lindy-lace_

* * *

Saturday-Early Evening

"So" Daniel said as they stood on the sidewalk in front of Pete's door.

"You first" Janet suggested.

"I think I just forgot everything I was going to say." Daniel rubbed his forehead.

"So that tenth cup of coffee you insisted on drinking..." Janet had rarely seen him so nervous.

"It'll kick in." Daniel promised.

"Daniel" Janet knew she was being tough on him. She didn't want this job either, but they had no choice. One of them had to do it and it was going to be Daniel.

"Right" Daniel said. Seeming to agree with her unspoken thoughtsmore than whatshe'd said out loud. He squared his shoulders and headed up the steps, taking comfort in the faint clicking of Janets sensible heeled shoes beind him, and knocked.

Pete opened the door. "Hello, Pete Shanahan? I don't know if you'll remember me since we met only once and very briefly but my name's Daniel Jacksoon and I work with Sam" Daniel rambled on like a vacumn cleaner salesman trying to get one foot in the door before he was thrown out.

At the mention of Sam's name Pete was instantly on guard. "I remember. What can I do for you?"

"We haven't been able to locate Sam andwe thought you might have some idea where she is." Daniel inquired. "We're starting to worry"

"I'm sorry." Pete apologized. "Sam and had a dissagreement.We haven't spoken."

"I see" Daniel searched his mind for the most delicate way of putting what he was about to say next. "Were you at her house last night?"

Pete's face was impassive. "Yeah, we had a date. We had an arguement soI left and came back here."

"So Sam was there last night?" Daniel's words were more doubtful than inquisitive.

"Yes" Pete lied.

"Mr.Shanahan" Janet felt the need to intercede in the conversation. "We're looking for Sam because we're worried about her. If there is anything at all you can tell us it might help us find her."

"Please." Daniel urged. "We're her friends we just want to make sure she's safe."

Pete hesitated and sighed before stepping outside, partiallyclosing the door to his house behind him. "Look, Sam never made it last night. I was waiting for her when the phone rang. I thought maybe it was Sam calling to tell me why she was late. That she had to work or the car broke down, something like that."

"But it wasn't" Daniel said in a knowing tone.

"It was a man I didn't know. He told me Sam was in danger. Where to find her and warn her."

Daniel was instantly concerned. "Did you find her?" Daniel asked.

"Yes" Pete admitted."I gaveher the message and left. I have no idea where she's gone."

"What kind of danger is she in?" Janet asked, voicing Daniel's next question.

"Someone's coming for her." Pete told them. "I don't know who" he anticipated thier thoughts. "All he told me was that his name was Barrett, Sam was in danger and 'they' were coming for her. I gave Sam the message and got out. Look Jackson, if there's anything I can do to help Sam let me know. I'll call the office, start a search, whatever I have to do. But otherwise I'm asking you to do me me a favor and please leave me out of this okay?"

"Sure" Daniel said mechanically. "Thanks for your help."

Pete went back inside.

"He knows doesn't he" Janet said after the door had closed.

"Yeah I would say so." Daniel looked at her. "Janet" His eyes and voice conveyed all the thoughts and worries running through his mind.

"What about Agent Barrett?" Janet suggested as a last resort.

Daniel shook his head in frustration. "I just, if I only had some idea what the hell was going on around here... How can I call him when I have no idea what we could be dealing with? We don't know what kind of danger we could be putting any or all of us into. One wrong move and instead of helping Sam and Jack we're risking thier lives. We don't _know _anything."

"I know" Janet said softly.

Daniel looked at her searchingly. "What are we going to do?"

Janet touched his arm gently. "Let's go".


End file.
